Hope all is good with all of you. Been a long time since I posted on this Forum. I’ve been concentrating on 5K for the past few months and chasing a Parkrun PB. This morning my 9 year old Son and I left our home to drive to a Parkrun in Dublin to help them celebrate their 1st year anniversary. With a promise of cake 🍰 at the finish line we were excited. My Parkrun PB was 30:38 and I was aiming to go sub 30. But the course was faster, no hills as such unlike our home Parkrun and as a result I took 2:06 off my PB coming home in 28:32. So a good morning and cake to celebrate.
So now with a 10K run coming up towards the end of April I’m going to work back up towards 10K again. Looking forward to it.
Happy Parkrun day everyone.😀
Damien
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damienair
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Thank you so much. My first Parkrun was almost 2 years ago and I finished in just after 39 minutes. So it has taken me 2 years and 28 Parkruns to get here. It was slow. For a long long time I was averaging at around 33 mins. But recently I have been spending time doing intervals whilst doing 5K Training runs twice a week and Parkrun on Saturday. That has really helped in improving my pace. I thought it would be impossible for me to go below 29 minutes. It just took time. Best part is that I get to spend the quality healthy time with my Son.
Thank you. Yes he is a good little runner. At our home Parkrun he drops the hammer for the last 800 meters and usually manages to pass out 12 to 14 people. He stays beside me until then. He has ran 29:30 on a few occasions. But today as we were at a new course he stayed with me and we ran together. It was his first taste of Parkrun tourism.
Up until a few weeks ago my Parkrun PB was 31:04. I could not touch that again for over a year, I was finishing at around 32 -33 minutes. I have been doing intervals whilst running 5K on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Run 1st, 3rd and 5th kilometres at a faster pace than normal and recover at a slower pace for 2nd and 4th kilometres.Two or three weeks ago I got a new PB of 30:38. And today 28:32.
Interval training works really well. But I’m running on and off for almost 2 years so progress has been slow.
Yes I enJoy intervals too - I’ve been using the jogrunsprint app on iPhone. It’s great that your son joins you too. It took me 60 years to discover the joys of running!
Well done on your new pb & sub 30 min 5k. I feel a bit stuck in a rut around 32-33 mins at the moment (although my runs have been inconsistent in length & regularity with winter weather) but your interval 5ks have given me a light bulb moment! Thanks - I'll try it on the next 5k run. Good that you had quality time with your son on a Saturday. 🙂
If you have a running watch You can set a pace and try and stick to it. Or likewise on your phone.
Run 1st, 3rd and 5th kilometres at a 6 min/km pace and recover with 7 min/km pace for the 2nd and 4th kilometres. Initially if you need to stop to catch your breath after an interval, pause your watch or phone and take a couple minutes of a break. Then continue on. After a couple of weeks you will be able to run the full 5K whilst doing the intervals.
When you get comfortable running the full 5k with the intervals without stopping start to then switch it up a little, make the fast pace 5:30 min/km pace and recovery at a 6:30 min/km pace. After another couple of weeks you will be able to hold a 6 min/km pace no problem for 5K and that’s a 30 minute 5k time.
It’s hard at the start but I found it works to push your comfort zone. My aim was to get to sub 30 before May, but the intervals worked much quicker than I thought. So my new aim now is sub 27 before end of May. I was 32-33 min per 5K too.
Thanks, Damien. I've got a Garmin Forerunner 35 (I think - basic but fine). It hadn't occured to me to set a pace. During my runs I usually start off easily at about 7-7.5mins then get progressively faster down to about 6 but occasionally below. I'll have to rewire my expectations when I go out!
From an Irish-Damien to an Irish-John , thank you. If I’m honest I am still buzzing and looking forward to getting back out for a run tomorrow evening. The 5K fast walk this morning didn’t cut it.😀
Cheers. I was a little surprised. My aim was just under 30 mins but I felt comfortable holding a 5:45 minute average pace and the 28:32 just happened. It was really when I crossed the line and took my finish token that I realised that I’d blown up my PB. I’m aiming now for sub 27 min in May.
Well done Damien, l never post on here, just lurk and read the fabulous advice from everyone but I'm inspired by you to try out these intervals. Trying to get faster at parkrun and training for a 10k with my daughter whilst she's on a gap year. Definitely got this running bug! Thanks!!
Best of luck. I’m not fast, and never will be very fast. But I find that the intervals get you used to running at a faster pace even if just for 1Km at a time. Over a few weeks you’ll find that the fast pace becomes normal regular pace.
I know what you mean about running bug, me too. I liked Parkrun until I got to 25th Parkrun. Now I adore it. Will be doing my 30th Parkrun next weekend . I’m on a mission to get a Red T-Shirt this summer. Enjoy the 10K training with your daughter.
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Beckley 10k 
Chichester Priory 10k
First proper 10K 
Woohoo! Second PB this week 🏅🏅🏃♀️🏃♀️
Post grad B210K consolidation-10K
